DON'T BEG ME NOW, MR. ARMSTRONG
Five years ago, on her birthday, Joan Lancaster was served with divorce papers by the one man whom she had loved with every fiber of her being. The same man who had sworn to protect her, cherish her, and never betray her, Dean Armstrong. He cast her aside without remorse, replacing her with his secretary and stripping her of everything but her dignity.
Broken, wounded, and abandoned, Joan disappeared into the night with secrets only she knew, only to return five years later as a different woman. No longer the trembling, forgiving wife Dean once knew, Joan stepped back into his world as the untouchable Ice Queen, a woman whose rise to power had struck fear in the hearts of the Chicago businessmen.
But she wasn't just back, she was back for revenge. And she wasn't going to stop until she stripped her ex-husband of everything that made his name. Once a powerful man, Dean found himself begging the woman he once discarded. The woman who now had the strings to his life and could do with him as she pleased.
In a world where love had once broken her, Joan would prove one thing: some women don’t come back to be loved. They come back to be feared.
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Chapter: 117I hadn't slept properly in days.At first, I thought it was because of the hearing. Then I thought maybe it was because Kai and I were still trying to settle into the new apartment, because the unfamiliar silence at night felt wrong after spending so long in Brandon's house, where there was always movement somewhere. Victor coughing in the study. Brandon walking downstairs for water at midnight. Kai sneaking into my bed after a nightmare. Even Caleb dropping by unannounced and arguing with Brandon over something stupid. The silence here felt too complete. Too careful. Like the apartment itself was afraid to breathe too loudly.But by the seventh day, I realized sleep wasn't avoiding me because of the hearing.It was because I was scared.Scared of court.Scared of Dean.Scared of losing Kai.And maybe, if I was being honest with myself, scared that I'd ruined the only good thing that had happened to me in years when I'd pushed Brandon away.The thought alone made my chest tighten, so
Last Updated: 2026-05-19
Chapter: 116I stood outside Joan’s apartment for longer than I should have after she whispered yes.The word kept replaying in my head even after the door shut softly in front of me. It hadn’t sounded firm. It hadn’t sounded certain either. If anything, it sounded like she’d forced herself to say it because she thought it was the answer she was supposed to give. But it was still a yes. She’d looked away when she said it too, like she couldn’t bear to watch my reaction, and somehow that made the tight feeling in my chest worse.For a second, I genuinely considered knocking again.I almost did it.Almost told her that I wasn’t asking because I wanted reassurance for my ego or because I couldn’t take rejection. I’d asked because I needed to know whether she actually wanted me gone or if she was simply doing what she always did whenever she got hurt: pushing everyone away before they could disappoint her further.But in the end, I stayed where I was.Then I left.The hallway outside her apartment was
Last Updated: 2026-05-18
Chapter: 115~~Brandon's POV~~The silence in the house felt wrong.I realized it the second I opened my eyes.For a few disoriented moments, I lay there staring at the ceiling, waiting for the familiar sounds that had somehow become part of my routine without me noticing. Kai’s small feet pounding through the hallway. Joan downstairs making coffee before work because apparently functioning without caffeine was impossible for her. The soft hum of the television because Kai somehow always woke up before everyone else and immediately wanted cartoons. Even the occasional sound of Joan muttering under her breath when she realized he’d made a mess somewhere.Nothing came.The house stayed quiet.Too quiet.And that was when it hit me again.They were gone.I scrubbed a hand over my face and sat up slowly, exhaling hard through my nose as the emptiness settled heavier in my chest than it had the night before. I’d spent so long getting used to sharing my space with them that the sudden absence of them fe
Last Updated: 2026-05-16
Chapter: 114~~Joan~~Sleep avoided me that night.Every time I closed my eyes, I either saw Victor admitting he'd been the one sending me anonymous messages during my marriage, or Brandon standing in the kitchen quietly telling me he was scared I'd pull away from him if I found out he'd known. The worst part was that neither memory made me as angry as they should have. Hurt, yes. Betrayed, definitely. But anger required distance, and somehow both men had rooted themselves too deeply into my life for me to stay properly angry at either of them.Especially Brandon.Which was exactly the problem.I stared at the ceiling from my spot on the bed while Kai slept beside me, starfished across the mattress with one sock half hanging off his foot and his stuffed dinosaur tucked beneath his chin. Soft morning light had started leaking into the room already, painting pale gold across the walls, and I realized I'd spent most of the night thinking.Thinking about Brandon.Thinking about how easily he'd become
Last Updated: 2026-05-14
Chapter: 113The house felt different after Joan got upset with me.I noticed it immediately.Not because she yelled or slammed doors or made some dramatic scene out of it. Honestly, I thought I would've preferred that. At least then I'd know where I stood with her. Instead, she became quiet in a way that unsettled me deeply. She moved around my house politely, spoke when necessary, answered questions when asked, but every interaction felt measured, like she was carefully deciding how much of herself she was willing to give me now.And the answer seemed to be: not much.Kai had fallen asleep almost an hour ago after forcing me to listen to an extremely serious explanation about which dinosaurs would survive a volcano eruption and which wouldn't. I'd tucked him into bed while Joan stayed downstairs claiming she wanted tea, though I had a feeling she mostly just wanted distance from me.Now I stood by the kitchen entrance watching her quietly.She sat at the island wearing one of the oversized sweat
Last Updated: 2026-05-13
Chapter: 112By late morning, the house had become too quiet.Not peaceful quiet.Heavy quiet.The kind that sat on my chest and made breathing feel like work.Victor had left for a doctor's appointment over an hour ago after asking me twice if I was sure I didn't want to come with him, and both times I'd told him no. Kai was in the living room building what looked like a dinosaur city with blocks and toy cars while some cartoon played softly in the background, and Brandon had stepped out earlier after receiving a call from work. That left me alone with my thoughts, which was honestly beginning to feel like the worst possible company.The lawyer meeting from yesterday still replayed in my head in fragments.Custody.Household assessment.Dean came prepared.Every time I thought about it too long, something cold settled inside my stomach.I tried distracting myself with work emails, but my attention span barely lasted three minutes before my mind wandered somewhere ugly again. Then I tried cleaning
Last Updated: 2026-05-12
I Fell In Love With A Ghost
"This realm is your only chance of coming back to life in the mortal world, and if you attract those consequences, take note that you will die.”
“Death?” I ask, mostly to myself. And to the voice, “What do you mean by 'I’m on my way to death'?”
~~~
Nova was having a bad day, and all she wanted was for the day to end already. But the universe seemed to have misunderstood her wish, because not only did her day not end, but she met with an accident that left her in a coma.
As if that wasn't bad enough, she became trapped in a dimension between life and death, where she had to face a series of trials that would determine if she wakes... or fades from existence.
Enter Zephyr, the spirit assigned to guide her to the light – her recovery.
The spirit who never tried to disguise his want for her failure.
The spirit she should've never fallen in love with.
But in a world where survival is determined by the number of challenges a soul can conquer, the heart still found its way around love.
With her complicated feelings in an already complicated world, Nova must decide what she's truly fighting for – her life, or the one being who's capable of ending it.
***
In a short time, the remaining one hundred and twelve souls are pushed out. When we’re complete and standing, a voice – different from on the bus – greets us.
“Welcome, Souls, to the survival games.”
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Chapter: 012: Nightmare "Get what done with?" He sighs tiredly. "Your test... Your death. Whatever you want it to be. Your choice." He brushes by me, and I instinctively step away. But not without noticing his scent. The perfume Chris wore all the time. It makes me yearn for him even more. "You coming?" he calls, and I realize he's already by the mirror, a hand stretched toward me. I hesitate, watching his hand warily. "Jesus, Nov," he hisses. "Stop acting like I'm gonna kill you."It's not my fault I'm hesitant. He is going to kill me if he gets the chance. He's literally designed to do so. But remembering what Zephyr said about wasting time, I take his hand. He smirks, and then he drags me through the mirror. I scream, the cuts inflicted by Allison earlier feeling like my skin is being pulled from my body as we pass through portals of light. When we stop traveling and everything settles, I discover that we're back at Chris's house."You want to know why your self-motivation is important? You're g
Last Updated: 2025-12-09
Chapter: 011: ChrisLaughter resounds in the space, from all the mirrors. Something stabs my right arm, sending pain shooting through the area. "Please," I beg. Again, I'm met with laughter. "I told you," The reflection behind me grips my hair tightly, pulling my head back. "You shouldn't have touched the water."When her grip loosens, I feel my hair out of its bun. Before I can touch it, something drops on my lap. I look down. A bundle of my hair. "I gave you a haircut," the Allison in front of me says. "You needed it."I blindly feel the back of my head, wincing through the pain from lifting my arm. My hair... Half the length is gone. Allison's image in the mirror in front of me fades, leaving behind my broken, bloodied reflection. I look like I've been through hell. I feel like I've been through hell. Her voice sounds from behind me. "You should be grateful. Your hair looked terrible before." She giggles. "I helped you fix it, and you should thank me."I remain quiet, glaring. I hate her,
Last Updated: 2025-12-04
Chapter: 010: The lake of mirrorsInstinctively, I reach out to touch her, but my hand makes contact with the cold glass instead. Her image fades. Her giggles come from somewhere else in the room – probably another mirror – but I don’t bother following it this time. I remember what my spirit guide had said earlier about my feelings, and I quickly wipe my eyes, calling out for him. “Zephyr? Are you here?”“What do you think?” His voice drips with boredom as he appears in the mirror I'm facing. “Where am I?”“The lake of mirrors,” he answers. “A part of the illusion realm. Just like before, you have to confront the important people and events in your life. In this realm, you will fight memories. Not all are real, but they appear real. Your task is to figure out what isn't.”“How do I know the ones that aren’t real?” Expecting the usual, “…Figure it out” answer, I’m surprised when he says, “Your gut. It’s the only thing that you should trust.”“But what if my gut is wrong?”A beat passes in silence. Then, “This is t
Last Updated: 2025-11-15
Chapter: 009: Zephyr "No!" I cry. Yanking my hand from his grip, I try to run back, through the barrier of light. But once again, he stops me. "Why won't you just let me say goodbye?!" He takes his time answering. "I can take you back if you wish," he says evenly. "Then you will remain in a world designed to use your desires to destroy you." I swipe at my eyes angrily. "You're heartless." "Yes. Unlike you souls, I do not have a heart." His tone doesn't waver. "I don't act stupidly based on feelings. I am not naive. I think before I act. I do not let feelings guide decisions that determine fate.” His face stays neutral, but there's something else in his eyes – anger, maybe, or restraint. “Everything I do is planned, structured. That's why I'm superior to you. That's why, when I make a decision that could save your life – even if your feelings get in the way – I do it." I scoff but say nothing. Instead, I sink to the floor – or whatever passes for a floor here – and rest my chin on my knees. The next fe
Last Updated: 2025-11-14
Chapter: 008:I’m sorry Before I can stop myself, I scream. He laughs menacingly, stepping inside. “You want to leave us? After bringing us here?”I take a step back. “You’re not even real,” my voice trembles, my vision blurred with tears.He takes one further. “I’m right here, princess. If I wasn’t, would you be able to feel this-”His fingers lengthen, taking a claw-like shape as he tries to grab me. I move back, frantic, looking for a way of escape. But the walls only seem to be closing in around me. Right when he's about to get to me, the walls close in on us.For a moment, there’s only darkness.The air thickens, and each breath comes harder than the last. I press a hand to my chest, fighting for what little air I can draw in.Then, suddenly, everything snaps back to normal.I gasp, filling my lungs as much as I can. When my breathing steadies, I look around.I’m in the kitchen again. Everything looks the same, yet somehow the place feels different, more… alive.Before I can figure out what’s changed
Last Updated: 2025-11-09
Chapter: 007:You’re not real! 2I drop my fork, gasping. “Are you sure you're–”“I said I’m fine!” I snap. Tears of frustration gather in my eyes. “I’m sorry. I’m just... I’m sorry.”To prove it, I pick the fork back up and force a bite of pancake into my mouth.My senses prick as the food settles in my mouth. It’s bland and dry… crusty, even.I try not to wince as I chew. Apparently, I don’t hide it well enough, as Dad notices. “Don’t you like the food, princess?”I force myself to swallow. It feels like more of a punishment than relief, something grating against the walls of my throat. It burns, as if I've swallowed tiny pieces of glass. This time, I don’t try to hide the wince. “Water,” I rasp, clutching my throat. “I need water.”Instead of getting it for me, Mom places her hand over mine, squeezing tightly. Her head tilts. “What’s wrong, dear? Don’t you like pancakes anymore?”A chill races down my spine.I try to pull away, but her grip tightens.My gaze flickers to my father. He’s looking at me in the s
Last Updated: 2025-11-08
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